diff --git a/json2html/jsonconv.py b/json2html/jsonconv.py
index b724aec..c4053ae 100644
--- a/json2html/jsonconv.py
+++ b/json2html/jsonconv.py
@@ -135,26 +135,22 @@ def convert_list(self, list_input):
         if self.clubbing:
             column_headers = self.column_headers_from_list_of_dicts(list_input)
         if column_headers is not None:
-            converted_output += self.table_init_markup
-            converted_output += '<thead>'
-            converted_output += '<tr><th>' + '</th><th>'.join(column_headers) + '</th></tr>'
-            converted_output += '</thead>'
-            converted_output += '<tbody>'
-            for list_entry in list_input:
-                converted_output += '<tr><td>'
-                converted_output += '</td><td>'.join([self.convert_json_node(list_entry[column_header]) for column_header in
-                                                     column_headers])
-                converted_output += '</td></tr>'
-            converted_output += '</tbody>'
-            converted_output += '</table>'
-            return converted_output
-
-        #so you don't want or need clubbing eh? This makes @muellermichel very sad... ;(
-        #alright, let's fall back to a basic list here...
-        converted_output = '<ul><li>'
-        converted_output += '</li><li>'.join([self.convert_json_node(child) for child in list_input])
-        converted_output += '</li></ul>'
-        return converted_output
+            header = '<thead><tr><th>%s</th></tr></thead>' %('</th><th>'.join(column_headers))
+            body = '<tbody>%s</tbody>' %(
+                '<tr>%s</tr>' %('</tr><tr>'.join([
+                    '<td>%s</td>' %('</td><td>'.join([
+                        self.convert_json_node(list_entry[column_header])
+                        for column_header in column_headers
+                    ]))
+                    for list_entry in list_input
+                ]))
+            )
+            return '%s%s%s</table>' %(self.table_init_markup, header, body)
+
+        #no clubbing required here - column headers are not consistent across list
+        return '<ul><li>%s</li></ul>' %(
+            '</li><li>'.join([self.convert_json_node(child) for child in list_input])
+        )
 
     def convert_object(self, json_input):
         """
@@ -163,15 +159,15 @@ def convert_object(self, json_input):
         """
         if not json_input:
             return "" #avoid empty tables
-        converted_output = self.table_init_markup + "<tr>"
-        converted_output += "</tr><tr>".join([
-            "<th>%s</th><td>%s</td>" %(
-                self.convert_json_node(k),
-                self.convert_json_node(v)
-            )
-            for k, v in json_input.items()
-        ])
-        converted_output += '</tr></table>'
-        return converted_output
+        return "%s<tr>%s</tr></table>" %(
+            self.table_init_markup,
+            "</tr><tr>".join([
+                "<th>%s</th><td>%s</td>" %(
+                    self.convert_json_node(k),
+                    self.convert_json_node(v)
+                )
+                for k, v in json_input.items()
+            ])
+        )
 
 json2html = Json2Html()
diff --git a/test/benchmark.py b/test/benchmark.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1e78700
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/benchmark.py
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+import os, sys
+
+lib_path = os.path.abspath(os.path.join('..'))
+sys.path.append(lib_path)
+
+from functools import wraps
+from time import time
+from json2html import *
+
+def timing(f):
+    @wraps(f)
+    def wrap(*args, **kw):
+        ts = time()
+        result = f(*args, **kw)
+        te = time()
+        print 'func:%r args:[%r, %r] took: %2.4f sec' % \
+          (f.__name__, args, kw, te-ts)
+        return result
+    return wrap
+
+@timing
+def run(nesting=1000):
+    benchdata = {}
+    current_head = benchdata
+    for i in xrange(nesting):
+        current_head["test"] = {}
+        current_head = current_head["test"]
+    current_head["finally"] = "glob"
+    json2html.convert(benchdata)
+
+sys.setrecursionlimit(100000)
+run(int(sys.argv[1]) if len(sys.argv) > 1 else 1000)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/run_tests.py b/test/run_tests.py
index 9ba80a7..82cbb0d 100644
--- a/test/run_tests.py
+++ b/test/run_tests.py
@@ -136,12 +136,14 @@ def items(self):
             u'<table border="1"><thead><tr><th>one</th><th>two</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><ul><li>1</li><li>2</li></ul></td><td>blübi</td></tr></tbody></table>'
         )
         #clubbed with two elements
+        converted = json2html.convert([
+            binary_dict([1, 2], u"blübi"),
+            binary_dict("foo", "bar")
+        ])
         self.assertEqual(
-            json2html.convert([
-                binary_dict([1, 2], u"blübi"),
-                binary_dict("foo", "bar")
-            ]),
-            u'<table border="1"><thead><tr><th>one</th><th>two</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><ul><li>1</li><li>2</li></ul></td><td>blübi</td></tr><tr><td>foo</td><td>bar</td></tr></tbody></table>'
+            converted,
+            u'<table border="1"><thead><tr><th>one</th><th>two</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><ul><li>1</li><li>2</li></ul></td><td>blübi</td></tr><tr><td>foo</td><td>bar</td></tr></tbody></table>',
+            converted
         )
         #not clubbed, second element has different keys
         self.assertEqual(